Last Day with a Dog

Mourning doves were out this morning:


Today was the last day with Ginger on Mackinac Island:


The tulips continue to come up:


We did some walking around Mission Point:


And found more bulbs sprouting:


Ginger got to see Arch Rock:


On our way to catch the last ferry, we watched it pass:


There is still too much ice, so the ferry is going all the way around the island. I wonder how much longer we'll have the extra-long trip...

The Snow Came Fourth

It is April 4th. Before noon today, it began to snow. And not the light "it's technically snowing because there is a little frozen precipitation" kind. It was seriously snowing. Big flakes. The much-melted world became white once more.

I took Ginger for a walk and made it to Dwightwood Spring. She sniffed a fire hydrant on the way (the stereotype seems to ring true):



The 4:00pm ferry from St. Ignace was making its way around the island. If you look close, you can spot it:



A stick!



Wagon = less than brilliant idea today:






I eventually left the wagon behind:



The forest side of the island is lovely too:



Buds:



Dwightwood Spring is a memorial to Dwight Wood, who died saving his brother August 12, 1905:


It is a natural freshwater spring (so not deemed safe for drinking):








My oldest daughter loves Dwightwood Spring! She is in Chicago with her grandparents for spring break. (She was in awe of the tall buildings in Grand Rapids- Chicago must blow her little mind!) We will be reunited tomorrow night!

Spring Break for Ginger

It is spring break! No school, my oldest daughter is on a trip with her grandparents, and their dog is vacationing on Mackinac Island. Her name is Ginger, and she is a sweet yellow lab.
Little sister is happy to have a buddy! (She adores her absent big sister)



She's a climber:


The tulips are growing! I absolutely love Mission Point's tulips!


Ginger is enjoying Mackinac Island and seems happy to roll in a patch of snow even though it is spring break:


What's that honking noise?


Canada geese:


We watched a freighter pass. ...Ok, Ginger wasn't interested, but it had my attention.








She came with me to pick up the mail. (A new book came in! "Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures" written by a blogging mom- so funny!)


So many smells! She wanted so badly to smell a team of horses on the way home, but I didn't let her. When Ginger visited last year she busted a leash when she spotted a rabbit with my husband. She was kind to me!


Ginger did get to meet Sage, a beautiful retriever who lives near us on Mackinac Island. They were cute!

Walking Dog and Daughter

We are dog-sitting this week. We took Ginger, my in-laws' yellow lab, and my daughter out for a walk this evening. We explored the shoreline in front of Mission Point Resort:


Ginger loves all the smells- especially rabbits!


My three year old is happy to explore on her own (much like a puppy):





It was hard to keep up with her!


There is a lot of ice along the shore still:





Wildlife prints!


It was a lovely walk! Happy spring break!

S'now Foolin

It snowed last night. It also snowed a good portion of our drive back north.








A freighter had just passed under the Mackinac Bridge:








There's so much ice in the Round Island passage still:




The ferry is still going the long way around the island. This trip, we have Ginger, my in-laws' yellow lab. They took my oldest on a spring break trip to Chicago and we have their dog for the week. We met them in Grand Rapids and she was convinced she saw the tallest building in the world. Chicago is going to blow her Mackinac mind!




I did not expect so much ice:




Snow...




Drays wait as the ferry unloads at the dock:








The roads were fine for biking- just had to be careful for slick spots (or as my 3 year old would say "slipperly")




It is so nice to have the ferry back!












Brave little tulips! I look forward to seeing them again! Silly April Fool's snow, spring wants to be!